Contents

Life

Little is known of the life of Arcadius. He was appointed the ruling hierarch of Cyprus in 630 and headed the Church of Cyprus during the Christological controversies of the early seventh century. These controversies centered over the attempt by emperor Heraclius and Patr. Sergius to reconcile, through a formula that became known as Monoenergism, the differences between the Chalcedonian and non-Chalcedonian positions that followed the decisions of the Fourth Ecumenical Council in Chalcedon in 451.

In 626, Heraclius requested Arcadius to teach the doctrine of "one hegumenic energy". As this teaching was met with apparent success, the emperor was encouraged to seek a wider approval of his compromise. Through the following years, emperor Heraclius gained agreement on the new doctrine among a number of the members of the Church hierarchy including Patr. Sergius, Patr. Cyrus of Alexandria, and the Jacobite Athanasius of Antioch. Only Sophronius I of Jerusalem believed the doctrine unsound and championed Dyotheltism, the doctrine of two wills of Christ.

In 634, Abp. Arcadius, now archbishop of Cyprus, convened a synod on the island of Cyprus at the request of Patr. Sophronius of Jerusalem. Forty six dignitaries participated in the synod including Patr. Sophronius, Patr. Cyrus of Alexandria, representatives from Constantinople and Rome, and Maximus the Confessor. After extensive haggling, the anti-Monoenergites agreed on a letter that Abp. Arcadius viewed as an anathema and which Patr. Cyrus forwarded to emperor Heraclius.

Subsequently in 638, emperor Heraclius and Patr, Sergius, having abandoned Monoenergism, turned to Monothelitism that was officially issued in the decree Ecthesis as the doctrine to end the Christological schism.

Abp. Arcadius reposed in 643 as the controversy continued.

Reference

George of Reshaina, "An Early Life of Maximus the Confessor," trans. Sebastian P Brock, pp. 315–7